Steering mechanism.



'L'M. DENNING.

STEERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23, 191(5.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I J. M; DENNING.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

.2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Be it known that l. Josrrrr li l. Dnnnrno,'

M. 1931*; MING, OI CEDAR RAPE GS, IOWA,

E'ITEERIH MECHAEISM'.

fipeclficut-ion of Letters fatent.

33, i916. Serial 1W0. 86,034. i

oil whom it concern:

a citizen of the United States, nesiding at Cedar Rapids, in the county oi no and State of Iowa. have invented certain.- new and useful improvements in Steering Mechanism, of which the following is e specific tiom.

This application is e clivision of original application Serial No. 496-99, and relates more purticulurlyto the steering mocha-"o nism, particularly adapted for use with true tors and-one of the objects of the invention is to provide improved mechanism of this character wherby the Wheels may turn on at very short or sharp angle,

To the utteinment of these curls and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrung ment or the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, unol shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention and Which-- Figure 1 is s top plan View of a chassis of a vehicle having steering mechanism applied thereto, and constructecl in accordance with the principles of this invention.

is a. side elevation of the parts shown in Fig: l.

Tig. 3 is e front elevation of the front. of the vehicle showing "Llltf cheering Wheels.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the steer ing wheels and 11 the traction Wheels con nectecl with the vehicle'l one 12. The stecring Wheels 1 3 are pivotnlly cornice-too. with the forward end of the supporting structure preferably by means of bearings 13, in. which the axles of the Wheels rotate, unrl these bearings 13 lire pivotally connected as were preferably to the extensions 15 on the front bar 16, so that boaringswill more on 'upright pivots. T'ne' bearings are pr vided with extensions 17', Whichnre preferably bent forwardly with respect-to the bearing with and to the Wheels.

' Pivotslly connected I cured to the main itremc and intermediate its ends as st, ,19 is a bar or rod 20, which is arranged pc illel'with tliebur l6, n nrl conueco our each or the extem to a member sev suits and the bar 20,

Patented nee. is, leer. Griginal application filed September e, 3515 Serial No. 39,939. Divided and this application filcfi March I i 1 l v When the bar 20 is moved about its pivot,

preferably by means of a rod 22, which is connected thereto, thewheels 10 moved about their pivots;

ljor steering the machine and by the pro vlsion of the forwardly bent portions 17, it

will be is possible to give a shorter angle to the Wheel taking the inside circle when turnin on an angle, than it was possible to do heretofore. These Wheels when straight are brought on "the some forward line, but when turned to the left or to the right, the-Wheel tnking'theinsicle circle mskesa shorter angle than the other wheel, clue to the fact that the inside Wheel turns on a shorter radius.

Hereto'fore the common practice of con- 1 struction of the steering mechanism consists in extending an arm backward or forward from each wheel knuckle and connecting the two together by a rod, but should this means he applied to the present invention andtlie Wheels turned at such an abrupt angle as is clone in the present construction, the parts of the rocl connection would assume positions otal parts of the knuckles and would lock so that the Wheels could not be brought back into position. I I o in rho present invention, the connection with the wheels between the pivot 142 and.

the pivot 19, is in the nature of a toggle levor, so that the outcr'ends of theplvot al bar when swung out of n center line. will swing toward the center of the axle and thus carry the end of thccounecting rods in toward the center of the axles so tha't'in. drawing the wheels back straight, the pull Will'be on s.

more (.lirect right angle line with the inner end of the axle spindle, Without pulling against the of the axle", as would be the able manner, preferably from s steering post i 23, arranged in a convenient position for the operator, anti which post is connected in any columnar, such as by means of e Worm gear connection, (not shown), with a rock shaft 24, and to which shaft is connected an arm 25 which in turn is connected with the rod 22.

Thus it will be seen that the front wheels may be given a short turn and that it will be impossible, no matter at What angle the wheels are turned with respect to the supporting structure, to lock the shifting mechanism.

What is claimed as new is 1. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, axles about which the wheels rotate, the inner ends of the axles terminating short of each other and deflected forwardly, said ends being free from a direct connection therebetween, links connected with said deflected portions and extending rearwardly of the axles, a pivotally supported member to which the links are connected on opposite sides of its pivot, and means for swinging said member about its pivot.

2. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, axles about which the wheels r0- tate, the inner ends of the axles terminating short of each other and deflecting forwardly, said ends being free from a direct connection therebetween, links connected with said deflected portions and extending rearwardly of the axles, a pivotally supported member to which the links are connected on opposite sides of its pivot, a rod connected with the said member to swing the latter about its pivot, and a steering post operatively connected with the rod for shifting the same.

3. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, bearings for the wheels, forwardly projecting extensions connected with the bearings, extending toward and termi nating short of each other, said extensions being free from a direct connection therebetween, a member disposed in the rear of the bearings and supported intermediate its ends to move about an upright pivot, a link pivotally connected with each of the said extensions and also with the said member, and means for swinging the said member about its pivot.

4. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate uprightpivots, axles about which the wheels rotate, the inner ends of the axles terminating short of each other and being laterally deflected, said ends being free from a direct connection therebetween, a member pivotally supported intermediate its ends and disposed to one side of the first recited pivots, said member being laterally spaced from the deflected ends of the axles, and connections between the said member on opposite sides of the pivot thereof and the deflected portion of the respective axles.

5. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, axles about which the wheels rotate, the inner ends of the axles terminating short of each other and being laterally deflected, said deflected portions of the axles being free from a direct connection therebetween, a shifting element-for moving the wheels about their pivots, and a toggle lever connection between each of said deflected portions of the axles and the said element.

6. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, a laterally deflected arm connected with each of the wheels. said arms being free from a direct connection therebetween,- a. member disposed to oneside of and spaced from the wheel pivots, said member mounted to swing about a fixed upright pivot and a link connection'between each of said laterally deflected 'arms and the said member and on opposite sides of the pivot of the member.

7. Steering mechanism embodying steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, a laterally deflected arm connected with each of the wheels, said arms being free from a direct connection therebetween, a member disposed to one side of and. spaced from the wheel pivots, said member mounted to swing about a fixed upright pivot, and a link connection between each of the said laterally deflected arms and the said member and on opposite. sides of the pivot of the member, the portion of the connection between the pivot of each of the axles and the said member forming a toggle lever.

8. A steering mechanism steering wheels mounted to swing about separate upright pivots, a laterally deflected arm connected with each of the wheels, said arms being free from a direct connection therebetween, a member disposed to one side of and spaced from the wheel pivots, said member mounted to swing about a fixed upright pivot, and a link pivotally connected with the said deflected arm and the said member between the pivots of the member and the wheel, the connection of the link with the member between the pivots of the embodying I wheel and member being maintained to one mounted to swing about a fixed upright pivot, and a link, the connection'between two subscribing witnesses, on this-17th day the linkand the-deflected arm between the of. March A. D.191 6,. pivots of the said member and the Wheel, i j bein maintained to one side of a, straight v JOSEPH M. DENNING. 5 line ietw een said pivots. Vilitnesseszi, v

In test mony whereof I have signed my A. HOFFERD, name tothis specification, in the presence of A. H. DECKMAN. 

